Summer at the North Pole
by Edna Pests
Summary: A combination of Doctor Who, Star Trek, and the Santa Clause movies. Yes, I know it's nerdy. About Sarah, the last Time Lady. She get a call from Elfsburg, saying that they have a plant infestation she needs to help with.
1. The Koufax Seed

Brushing her black hair back, Sarah looked over the mangled space shuttle. There was no way this would get her back to the future and to the Enterprise. Until Kirk was done with his mission and could come get her, she was stuck.

She looked at the glass ball in her hand. A circlet of gold, encrusted with red and white diamonds, ran around it. The ball was full of black smoke, calling her here. Arctic winds were blowing at her face. It turned to summer heat. Where the North Pole had been was a hole. A massive green-skinned being was living in Elfsburg, like a weed to manure. It had hundreds of giant roots that had broken in through windows, curled around Christmas trees, and split parked sleds in half. The center of the being was a misshapen green blob. There were eight holes running around the top. When the light glinted on them you could see eight blank, orange eyes. Not a spec of snow was to be seen.

Sarah blinked. "...Wow."

"I didn't expect that reaction."

She turned. Scott Calvin had appeared. He's more commonly known as Santa Claus.

"How in the worlds did it get in?" she asked. Elfsburg was usually protected by a dome of ice.

"It was a bit smaller at first." He sounded like he was still amazed by the events. "We found a hole in the dome, and under it was this tiny orange flower."

"Weren't you suspicious?"

"Yeah, but we never thought it would be a monster! One day it grew, and didn't stop."

"You've gotten the elves out, right?"

"They're staying in the deepest part of the Workshop."

"But that's a Koufax Seed!" spluttered Sarah. "Its roots will tunnel there any minute!"

Immediately Scott took out a red-and-white striped phone, and lifted it to his mouth.

"Judy, tell Bernard to get the elves out of the Workshop and into the Safe Place. The beast is breaking in!"

"Everyone out! Stay together! Quickly now!"

The Head Elf's orders kept everyone from panicking. The elves had known aliens existed, just never thought they'd come here.

The last of the group ran out of the hall. Bernard doubled back to make sure no one was left. Chairs were overturned, and toys lay half-made across conveyer belts. He worried how far work would be held back-

A clatter came from a nearby cupboard. He cautiously opened it. A young elf was inside, wearing thick earmuffs, and playing chess against herself. He plucked the earmuffs from her head, and moved a rook two places to the right.

"Checkmate." he said. "Now kindly run for your life with the others."

Obediently, Cindy got down and ran out of the hall. Bernard made to follow, but overbalanced and fell. The room was shaking...

The Safe Place had the same artistic wood as the rest of Elfsburg, but beyond that layer were strong walls of steel. It was as big as two football stadiums, so, needless to say, the elves were a little crowded. There was a large shelf, full of cans of food. Medical kits were hanging from the walls, and there were two doors that led to bathrooms. None of the fires were lit, but it was as hot as a day in August because of the Seed.

Elves stopped pouring in.

"Where's Bernard?" asked Sarah.

Scott went to the last elf that had entered. "Cindy, where's Bernard?"

Cindy looked at him, then turned around, as if expecting the Head Elf to be there.

"I'll find him." said Sarah. "No, no one should come with me. They'll be enough risk without you."

Before Scott could say another word, she was off down the corridor.

"Hello?" Sarah stopped running. "Can you hear me?"

The corridor had split into three hallways. Which one? Maybe she should check for footprints-

A root, thick as a truck, came crashing out of the middle hall. That made the choice simple. She ran past it. The room was ravaged by the plant, and more of it was breaking in.

"Over here!" Bernard had a root wrapped around his leg. She stepped toward him, and another one crashed against her head, sending her flying into a pile of blocks. It took her a second to concentrate on anything but the pain. How did the roots capture their prey? Come on, Sarah, you learned this at the Academy! Yes, they saw by vibrations! Moving one of the many snow cars from it's parking space, she dropped a block on its pedal. The roots shot for it the moment it started to move, except for the one that was dragging Bernard. She couldn't wrestle it off, so what could she do?

'Sometimes the simpler plans are the better ones.' she remembered Kirk saying. She took out her pocketknife, and shoved it into the root. It's group loosened, and the Head Elf clambered free.

"Thank you." he said.

"My pleas-" The root curled around her stomach, and lifted her into the air. She couldn't suck in to breath. Another root waved the snow car at her.

'Since when did the Seeds have a concept of humor?' she thought. A dark green blur whizzed past her ear, and a shower of silver sparks attacked the root. Sarah was dropped to the floor.

"You took your time!" she called.

"Nice to see you too." said Danny, Captain of the E.L.F.S.(the elf version of S.W.A.T.) The rest of his team was distracting the other roots, each of them propelled by a jet-pack without fire. "Both of you, get out of here! We'll cover your back."

Bernard and Sarah ran. The Time Lady heard many hallways collapsing as the roots followed. By the time they made it to the Safe Place half of Elfsburg had caved in.


	2. Paralyzm and Planning

Bernard leaned on the wall, panting. Sarah didn't even seem winded. Around them, the E.L.F.S. were unstrapping their jet-packs.

"That was really novel!" said Sarah.

"I doubt the kids who'll go without presents this year will think that." said Scott. "This will set us weeks back!"

"We could all be murdered soon, and you're worried about teddy bears?" she said in disbelief. She turned to Bernard to see how he was reacting. This was the first time she saw him again while undistracted by life-threatening situations.

She blinked, her common reaction when something surprised her. "Goodness, you've grown."

"Magic spurt." he said.

Sarah scoffed. "You call it magic. I call it a manipulation of elemental atoms."

The Head Elf collapsed. Scott and Sarah ran to him.

"What's wrong?" asked Scott.

"I don't know." said Bernard. "I just suddenly lost control of my leg."

"...The same one the root held you by?" Sarah asked.

"Yeah. What's happening to me?"

"You're being paralyzed. The Seed injects its prey with paralyzing poison to slow it down."

"So Bernard won't be able to walk anymore?" asked Danny. He saw from the look in her eyes that it was much worse.

"The paralysis starts at the legs, but it'll reach more important things, like the heart."

"But that simply cannot happen." Danny said, firmly. "There hasn't been an unnatural death in Elfsburg since...well, never! Isn't there an antidote?"

"None that were recorded in the Gallifreyan books." said Sarah.

"Then we'll just have to find one." It was Hismus, the elf doctor. He went for the med-kits to try and mix a cure.

"Well, back to actually urgent matters," said Bernard, making Sarah smile. "how do we get rid of the giant weed?"

"Three guesses."

"No way."

"_Yes_ way."

"Weedkiller?"

"Yup." said Sarah. "I'll have to get some other chemicals as well, because obviously we're going to have to make it a lot more potent. And getting it into the Seed is going to be tricky."

"Can't we just scratch it?" asked an elf with glasses, walking up.

"Who is this?" Sarah asked Bernard.

"Sarah, Curtis. Curtis, Sarah." said Bernard. "This is the Number Two Elf."

"Pleasure to meet you, Curtis." she said, shaking his hand. "And, no, I don't think it will be as easy as just scratching it. How could a syringe needle get through the Seed's thick skin?"

"We could use a knife first."

"Best not." she said, remembering the last time. "No, we need something subtle. We need to get to its weak spot."

"And where is that?" asked Danny.

"Its, er, posterior."

Bernard laughed.

"It's what?" asked Curtis.

"Bottom."

The elves giggled.

"I wonder who's controlling it." Sarah said abruptly.

"Why do you think someone is?"

"Because the Koufax Seeds are unintelligent, and don't know what humor is. So why did it teasingly make sure I knew my plan had failed?"

"So someone's inside it's mind." said Curtis.

"Or someone's feeding it orders?" suggested Bernard.

"I suspect the latter." said Sarah.

"But how-"

"Enough questions for tonight."said Scott, noticing the bags under everyone's eyes. "It's time we all went to bed."

On cue, Dr. Hismus hit a button on the wall, and sleeping bags fell out of the ceiling. Sarah and Bernard moved to cover at the same time, and both ended up under a table.

"Couldn't you've just put them in a pile?" asked Sarah.

"More fun this way." Bernard said with certainty.

Everyone woke up early the next morning. Some of them hadn't slept at all, with the threat of the Seed hanging over them. Morning cocoa was passed around.

"Right, then. To business." said Sarah. Scott, Bernard, Curtis, Danny, and the rest of the E.L.F.S. were gathered in a semicircle facing her. "We need a chemistry set and some weedkiller. I'm guessing that the corridor outside the entrance is caved in?"

"Yes," said Scott. "but the elves could clear it up with a little help from their magic."

"Moving large chunks of debris isn't the best way to sneak past an enemy that sees by vibrations." said Sarah. :"However, it might not notice a few of the smaller elves crawling through the cracks."

"Only children younger than three hundred could fit through those gaps." said Bernard, who was propped up against a wall. "They aren't ready for something like this."

"They're almost triple my age." said Sarah. "If they're careful they should be fine."

"_Should?_" said Bernard. "No, Sarah, you can't risk their lives on 'should'."

"It's alright, sir."

The group's heads turned. Cindy's class had been listening nearby.

"We'll be careful." said Cindy. "And you can keep track of us through com-link."

Sarah walked up to her. Cindy had big, blue eyes, blonde hair, and looked like a human four-year-old.

"Why are you volunteering?"

Cindy seemed surprised by the question. "To save my fellows, to ensure Christmas-"

"No, no, no." Sarah knelt so she could talk to her face-to-face. "Why are you _really _doing this?"

Cindy lowered her voice, afraid her answer would offend Santa or Bernard. "Everyone gets to help around the city but us. I might be a child, but three hundred years training is still a really, really long time for me."

Satisfied by that answer, Sarah stood. "Captain Danny, get these elves com-links. Let move out!"

Nobody moved.

"Oh, if Santa approves, of course."

Scott nodded. "Lets do it."

Everyone got to work.


	3. Supplies

Everyone was crowded around Bernard, who was listening intently to his headset.

"What are they saying?" asked Sarah.

"They're say-" he looked up to see every head straining. "Oh, this is ridiculous." He took off the com-link and turned a dial on the side. Then they could hear Cindy's voice as clearly as if she were in the room with them.

"-most halfway there. Not trouble so far, except that Jimmy stubbed his toe."

That most of the elves looked concerned about this worried Sarah. She was reminded that she was not on the Enterprise, and not surrounded by people who were used to life-or-death stuff. Were these kind of injuries the most they'd faced? What would her kind of life do to them?

"Entering a new hallway." Cindy updated. "Jimmy, watch out. _Aah!_"

Everyone sat up.

"Cindy, what happened?" asked Scott. "Is everyone alright?"

Not a sound.

"Cindy!" Bernard called.

"Yes, sorry. We're fine."

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

"What happened?" Scott repeated.

"There's this sort of...chasm." said Cindy. "A hole through the ground. I can't see the bottom."

"Are the sides of the hole even or jagged?" asked Sarah.

"They're even. That's strange, it's a perfect circle."

Sarah grinned. "You've found it. The hideout of the Seed controller. He must have used a machine to dig it."

"Can you get around the hole?" asked Bernard.

"Yes, but I think Jimmy's too big to risk it, sir."

"Send him back, and have him take George with him." said Scott.

"Righto, sir."

"Be ready to open the doors." he told Danny. The E.L.F.S. went to stand by the entrance.

"Exiting hallway." said Cindy.

"Before you go down to the hideout," Bernard said to Sarah. "don't you think you should find out more about the controller?"

"The only way to do that now is to go see him." said Sarah. "I know it'll be dangerous. That's why I'm going alone."

Bernard opened his mouth to protest.

"We've made it!" said Cindy.

"That's great!" said Scott. "You know where to go, right?"

"Yes. In the science and plantaphobic sections."

Sarah's head slowly turned to face Bernard.

"What?" he said.

"You have a plantaphobic section?"

"Yeah. So?"

"SO...I think you all are much more awesome than I gave you credit for." said Sarah, in stunned admiration. "I mean, beets, ew! And...cauliflower."

Curtis shuddered at the mention of the vegetable.

"Cocoa, anyone?" asked Cocoa, carrying her tray of mugs that she was never seen without.

"You have impeccable timing, my dear elf." said Sarah, accepting a mug. Cocoa handed one to Bernard, but he didn't take it.

"Eggnog instead, perhaps?" asked Cocoa. Bernard looked grim, and took the cup with his other hand.

"...Oh." said Sarah. "Hurry, Doctor Hismus. There's not much time left."


	4. Soldiers

"At least take some of Danny's team with you!" said Scott, trying to keep up with Sarah.

"I'm already risking elf lives to create a diversion." said Sarah, tucking two syringes into her pocket. "And I need to do this alone."

"Why?" Bernard rolled up. Someone had gotten him a wheelchair. Sarah looked at the chair, as if that were answer enough.

"Because this is not your job." she said. "This is Santa's Workshop, for Pete's sake! You were never meant to get involved in stuff like this."

"Nevertheless, we are, and you need our help."

"Well, it doesn't matter what you think. _I go alone_."

"Pulling rank, Time Lady?" Bernard asked, arching an eyebrow. Sarah was reminded forcibly of a certain half-Vulcan.

"Yes, I am." The elves were one of the few people who knew of her Gallifreyan authority. "See you later, gentlemen."

Cindy piled on the last block, and tapped her com-link. "Are the soldiers in place?"

"Rodger that, Gamma Leader." came the muffled reply.

"No code-names, _please_." said another voice.

"But we need to sound professional!"

"Keep it together, everyone!" said Cindy.

The others fell silent.

"Lets wind them up." Taking her own toy soldier she turned the knob until it wouldn't turn again. "Everyone wound?"

"Yes."

"Yup."

"Aye, aye, miss."

"Okay, good. Now set the timers." Timers Sarah had worked in to the toys. Cindy set it for twenty minutes, as instructed. "Alright. Set them in place." She put it by a block, the weakest and lightest one in a Sarah-planned formation of blocks. The heaviest were on top.

"Do we run now, Cindy?"

"Yes. Now we run."

Sarah sat by the first caved-in part of the hallway. She was thinking of how to move this piece of wood without the others falling. Her watch buzzed, and she stood up. Two more minutes before the blocks fell. She gently moved some rubble...and the whole pile crashed down. Oh well. She climbed over it, and ran.

Cindy pressed her back against the wall. She didn't move, didn't even dare to breathe. The root slid past her, going towards where Sarah was. The twenty minutes were up, and blocks fell all around the Workshop. The root paused for a minute, as if making up it's mind, then continued heading Sarah's way.

She felt ridiculous. Over one hundred years old and still scared of heights? Sarah had to trust in Elfsburg. She jumped into the hole. Reaching out, her hand found a wooden bar. Her feet found a place to stand. A thin beam of light shone on what had save her. It was the well-known Rose Suchack Ladder. She patted it. "Made in the Arctic." The light went out, and something hit her head. Rubble had covered the mouth of the hole. Good, now she wouldn't have to worry about roots. There was still a small hole, but it wasn't big enough for the Seed, so she ignored it.

"Open the seal!"

The metal doors parted slowly, with a quiet screeching. Cindy and three of her classmates spilled in. They fell to their knees, panting.

"Hismus." said Scott, but the doctor was already running to the kids.

"Nothing serious." he reported. "Just a few scrapes." He took out some band-aids.

"Did Sarah make it?" Bernard asked.

"I don't know, sir. I saw a root heading her way." said Cindy.

"Get Danny. We're going after her." said Scott.

"But the Seed will be on full guard after that diversion!" said Curtis.

"We have to do _something!_" said Bernard.

"Well," said Scott. "what do you suggest?"


	5. Tangle

When Sarah reached the ground it hurt. Her arms and legs were in a kind of cramp after being in the pattern of climbing for so long. She stretched, then looked around. The room was big enough for seven men to walk abreast from either side. It had been carved out of the ground, so whenever the Seed shook a little shower of dirt would fall. Opposite of the Time Lady was a man wearing a red shirt. His back was turned to her, and beside him was a satellite dish and a lamp. In the middle of the ceiling was a patch of green skin, and in the middle of _that_ was a white spot, like scar tissue. Under it was a small platform, which Sarah stepped on to.

"Not so fast." said the man.

"Bugger." (Sarah didn't know what that meant, but she liked saying it in times of crisis.)

The man turned around. He was not a man at all, but a Klingon, with a gun in his hand.

"Koufax." growled Sarah.

For those of you unfamiliar with Sarah's history, Koufax is Bennet's murderer. Bennet was a great friend of Sarah's when she took classes at the Federation Academy. After she learned what happened to Bennet, she then killed Koufax. Oh, and Koufax was also the one to discover the Seeds. Oh, _oh_, and Koufax doesn't recognize Sarah because she has regenerated since he saw her.

The Klingon bowed.

"It is such a joy to be recognized." he said. "I discovered a new race, died a heroic death, and yet I'm not famous. So who are you? You don't look like an elf."

"That's because I'm not one. How did you survive?"

"I was a bit too clever for that Academy cadet. Are you related to her or something? You look like that cadet, behind the eyes. And how did you become the north pole's champion?"

"Be being intelligent, good, and not sending a giant weed after them." said Sarah."What do you mean, you were a bit too clever? She pushed you off a cliff, for Pete's sake!"

"One of my comrades saw me fall. My body was broken and mangled, but an expert doctor hired by my friend was able to save me."

"You must have repaid your friend well."

"No, I killed him. I couldn't have anyone knowing I was alive, so I could continue the plan I made long ago."

Sarah sat down and got comfortable. When a villain started on a monologue they could go on for a while.

"I decided to take one of my Seed's to Earth's past, when it was most vulnerable. Then I set the Seed at the top and allow it to grow, and watch this world become compost. Vulcan would be next, and then all the other Federation planets. The Klingon-Seed Empire, I'd call it. Of course the word 'Seed' wouldn't mean anything. When I'm done with the plants I'll dispose of them."

"Such a quaint little plan." Sarah stood up. "Your enemies and allies die while you rule everything. It's so _you, _Koufax. But I'm afraid I can't let you do it."

"And how do you intend to stop me? No matter how you learned about time travel and Elfsburg, you're still human. A human who can easily be stopped by the pull of a trigger."

"Unless someone has a bigger trigger."

In flew Bernard, wearing an E.L.F.S. jet-pack, and carrying a bazooka.

Sarah burst out laughing. "That is _so _typical Hollywood!" she said. "Hang on, how are you carrying that?"

"I'm not _completely _paralyzed."

"Koufax, if you will be so kind as to drop your gun."

He did.

"There's a good chap." The Time Lady stepped onto the platform, reaching for her syringe. The light from the lamp, now unblocked by her, shone on the bazooka.

"It's plastic." said Koufax.

"Oh well. Nice try." Bernard tossed it away. The Klingon dove for his gun. Bernard met him halfway, but with only one arm on his side he was easily overpowered. Koufax grabbed his throat. But with a yell, Sarah tackled their enemy. She had learned a lot since she last saw him. Twisting him around, she raised her hand-

"Don't!" yelled Bernard.

Koufax was _right there_. She could easily break his neck-

"Don't do it, Sarah! I've got his gun. Koufax can be tried, and you won't be a vigilante again."

"Turn the knob. It's set to kill."

There was a clicking sound, then a red beam of light hit the Klingon, knocking him out.

"Good work, Bernard." She didn't mean his aim.

Finally, Sarah emptied the second syringe into the white spot. The Seed didn't scream. It couldn't. It shrunk like a slug to salt. The roots retracted, making two more rooms collapse. When all was done a small orange flower lay at Sarah's feet.

"That's a surprise. Well, here's another to bring back for trial. We'd better get a pot, Bernard. ...Bernard?"

The Head Elf had collapsed, not moving at all.


	6. Oh Yes

"Are you sure this will work?"

"Not in the least...Go get Hismus and Santa in case it does."

The elf hospital didn't look like a human hospital. It was much more colorful, and full of life. Bernard was stretched out on a bed. The only sense his paralysis hadn't taken away from him was hearing. He saw nothing but black.

"Magic's not bad, I suppose, but when you want some proper work done rely on Time Lord science." It was Sarah's voice. "...There we go."

Feeling was returning to his legs, and then the rest of him. A woman's face, with black hair and green eyes, faded into focus. Bernard tried to speak.

"Don't." said Sarah. "We need to wake you up properly first. Cocoa?"

The elf came in. "Drink." she ordered, handing out a mug. He sat up, and with the well-remembered movement, took the cup and drank. Sarah was right, it did wake him up.

"Hello?" said/asked Cindy from the doorway. "We heard that-" She saw Bernard, sitting casually upright, and sipping his drink contentedly.

There was a pause of silence.

"Boo?" he said.

"Sir!" Cindy ran, and hugged him. Scott, Danny, Curtis, and as many other elves that could fit came in too, and the only one who didn't end up hugging the Head Elf was Sarah.

"Alright, settle down everyone." said Scott. He turned to the Time Lady(who, by the way, was looking _awesomely_ intelligent and cool, standing in a corner, with her arms folded)."How on Earth did you cure him?"

Sarah sighed. "You see, the Seed's venom was poisonous even to itself. It kept a running cure in its blood. So I took a syringe with weedkiller, and an empty one."

"Couldn't you have told us Bernard wouldn't die?" Danny said, somewhat angry. "And why didn't you give him the cure first chance you got?"

"Because it was designed for the Seed. I had to add some chemicals to make it suitable for an elf. And I didn't tell you because I didn't want to get your hopes up. I was not sure at _all_ that the cure even existed. It was just a theory of mine."

"And no doubt you thought it would be _so _cool if you brought a happy ending out of nowhere?" Bernard smiled at her, and she smiled back.

The E.L.F.S. huddled together in the Arctic snow. Highly trained soldiers or not, they could still catch cold. But Sarah, excited at the prospect of being reunited with the _Enterprise _crew, didn't notice the icy breeze. A small black box, with a smaller screen, lay in her hand. It bleeped.

"There we are." she said. "I told you it wouldn't take long." They had been looking for the ship Koufax had come in, and now they found it in an ice cave. The elfin soldiers helped put the bound and gagged Koufax on board. Danny handed her the orange flower in a pot.

"We'll see you again?" he asked.

"Oh, I expect so. Mind you, time travel without a TARDIS is a tricky thing."

"More fun, then?"

Sarah smiled. "_Oh_ yes."

With a short salute, the elves turned on their jet-packs, and flew away.

Sarah opened the ship's hatch, and slipped into the pilot seat.

"Stop your fussing." she told the still-struggling Koufax. "We get there when we get there."

"Aren't you staying for Christmas?"

She looked back outside. Bernard had appeared in the cave.

"I can't. The _Enterprise_ is in a crisis of its own, and I need to help them. But tell me, are you going to pull through this year?"

"You mean with toy-making?" asked Bernard. "Well, we're set way back. But I think it'll work out. We've got an amazing team here."

"That you do. Oh, and by the way, 1914, World War I, Flanders. Was that you?"

The Head Elf smiled at the memory. "Nope. The humans did that all by themselves."

"Goodbye then." Her head disappeared into the ship.

"Sarah!"

She came back. "Yeah?"

"You'll stop by next Christmas?"

"Of course I will."

"Great." he said. "And, thank you."

"It was my pleasure."

Next Christmas came and went. She never showed up.

The End


End file.
